Saving the Best for Last

Columbia Man Wins $50,000 Multi Prize Bingo Top Prize

Multi Prize BingoAlan Murrell usually buys $1 scratch-offs, which he has had success with in the past. However, yesterday he decided to up the ante with a $5 Multi Prize Bingo purchase, and was rewarded with a $50,000 top-prize winner.

The restaurant manager had purchased eight or nine tickets yesterday, the majority of which being his usual $1 tickets. “I was scratching, scratching, scratching, scratching,” said Alan. When he got to the last ticket, he scratched it nonchalantly, expecting it to be a non-winner like the previous seven or eight. After revealing his first line Alan thought he had won $50 and was pleased to have made his money back. However, he soon realized that he had revealed an X, and that he was $50,000 richer.

Having incorrectly assumed he was a big winner with scratch-offs in the past, the 66-year-old skeptically checked the ticket four or five times before finally telling his wife, who had a similar case of disbelief. Still in a state of nervous skepticism, Alan couldn’t sleep, waiting for the morning when he could finally go across the street to a retailer to check his ticket, where his winnings were finally confirmed.

The father-of-four plans to pay some bills and fix up his car. “After that, my wife will probably spend it all,” he joked. The winning ticket was sold at Omid’s Crown, located at 10471 Twin River Rd. in Columbia.  The Multi Prize Bingo ticket still has two $50,000 top-prizes remaining.